Holy War

Experimental/Documentary • Italy 1999 • 42 min

For Michal Kosakowski, the images of end-of-year celebrations, with all their rituals, are overlaid by the hidden realities of war that no one wants to see. As festivities unfold and the relentless consumer machine runs at full speed, elsewhere bombs explode and lives are lost. The sparkle of New Year’s fireworks blurs with the roar of mortar fire. Is this the end?

Official Trailer

Synopsis

The term “Holy War” is often associated with Muslim fundamentalism, but its roots trace back centuries, to times when the Maltese knights committed brutal acts in the name of Christendom. Today, the slogan resurfaces in cosmopolitan cities, carrying an entirely postmodern twist.

The film begins with the sawing of a massive fir tree, which quickly escalates into a chainsaw massacre powered by thundering machinery. Amid the frenzy of pre-Christmas consumerism, we are ironically reminded of the mobilisation of forces on the war front. Bombs and ammunition are replaced by the sweet, colorful, and chocolate-filled confections produced by the thousands in chocolate factories.

The adrenaline rush sparked by the “Christmas spirit” is fueled by illuminated advertisements that decorate shop windows. These saturated displays are paired with the grotesque slogan: “for the most beautiful day of the year.”

As Christmas Eve draws to a close, an atmosphere of threatening silence settles before the storm. The deserted streets, inhabited only by the remnants of consumerism, fade into the epiphanic finale of New Year’s Eve at Vienna’s Stephansplatz. Like bottled-up emotions suspended in tension, an uncontrollable explosion of feelings erupts as the crowd leaps into the New Year. When the storm subsides, a sense of relief follows, bringing the film to a peaceful and anticlimactic close.

Credits

Director, Writer, Editor, Producer: Michal Kosakowski
Cinematographer: Michal Kosakowski, Sergio Bosatra
Music, Sound Design: Ray Sweeten
Assistant Director: Sergio Bosatra, Eleonora Milesi
Executive Producer: Oliviero Toscani, Marco Müller
Title Design: Rafal Kosakowski, Tom Hobbs
Production Company: FABRICA Spa, Benetton Communication Research Center

Official Poster